The Battle’s Not Over | #JerseyLove

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As soon as the announcement of Hurricane Sandy hit the airwaves, I packed my bags. As a New Jersey guardsman, we know that any type of state emergency will need our assistance, and it’s always best to be proactive. We’re reminded that while we are here to protect our country, making sure our state is protected from enemies natural and unnatural is our primary job. I grabbed my 72 hour bag, packed it full of essentials and got on the phone.

social media for social good

My supervisor said they were calling in anyone who could make it, but with the weather getting worse by the minute, and gas stations running out of fuel, it was becoming harder to reach the base. Then I remembered: we only had a quarter tank in our car. I spent hours searching for nearby stations that weren’t out of gas, calling family members and friends for clues. It was to no avail. We also found out that my husband, who works for NJ Transit, ended up being stuck in Hoboken for the night. The flooding there was quite dangerous, and as an Electrician, he had to stay put and help out with the effort. It would be 3 days before we would see or hear from him again.

Sandy left me wanting and worrying. Wanting to be out there, in the thick of it, helping my fellow Jersey residents save their priceless artifacts, memories and themselves. It left me worrying about my Husband, unable to communicate with him since towers were down or very busy. It also left me worrying about my military brothers, who I knew were in the middle of it all, risking their lives to save others. But I had my own purpose. My parents ended up having live electrical wires down right in front of their house, and losing power in their own home for 2 weeks. We took them in and my responsibilities went from caring for a family of 4 to a family of 7. I used my small social media outreach to tweet our happenings, retweet friends that were going through the same thing, and respond to the social media accounts of News outlets to share the story of those of us here, powering through. The story of a guardsman using her tactics right in her own home.

Jersey Love, Social Media for Social Good

As the vacation season starts back up, New Jersey residents are adamant about announcing that we are back, better, and ready for our time at the shore. The battle’s not over. It’s time to bring back the tourists we welcome year after year. I’m fortunate enough to be part of a group of 40 bloggers and social media influencers who will be showing their Jersey Love. Starting on June 6th, these Social Media Moms for Social Good will hit Ceasars Palace in Atlantic City and venture to Belmar, NJ to celebrate the re-opening of their boardwalk after the devastation Sandy left in their town. As a born and raised Jersey Girl, my heart swells when I think of how this will positively effect my home state. Keep an eye out for the #JerseyLove hashtag starting now for updates, fun and information about our upcoming adventure.

A big thank you to Caesar’s Palace and D6 Sports for sponsoring this social good event. All 40 bloggers are arriving on their own accord but will be provided with lodging, food per-diem and certain experiences. All opinions in this post are my own.

About Amiyrah

My name is Amiyrah and I'm an an African American fashion & lifestyle blogger based in Ohio.

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18 Comments

  1. 5.28.13

    This is such a heartfelt and beautiful post!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thank you, Dawn!

  2. 5.28.13

    Thank you 4 your service. I’d love to go the jersey shore this summer!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thanks Krystle! Come on down. We’re open! 😀

  3. 5.28.13
    Kim Bergeron said:

    I couldn’t even imagine! I’m glad so many people pulled together!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      It’s amazing how so many people can band together for something that means so much. It makes me very proud of my State :).

  4. 5.28.13
    Jeannette said:

    I am so glad you are OK and love that Jersey is showing that they are still standing strong!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thanks Jeannette. It will be so wonderful to see all the NJ residents banding together this summer. This is the time of year that our state income really prospers, so it’s essential that we get the tourism back up and in action.

  5. 5.28.13
    Cyn said:

    Thank you so much for sharing this information with us. It’s always valuable to hear form someone who has personally witnessed what has happened and it’s important to know there’s still work to be done!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thank you for reading, Cyn. Yes, there is still work that needs to be done, but fortunately, the rest of the country can participate in it by coming to visit us in NJ. The shores are open and we’re ready to entertain our neighbors :).

  6. 5.28.13
    Jen said:

    With tears in my eyes, thank you for your service. Not only do you serve, but clearly you do it with love in your heart – that is special. I will keep an eye out for that hashtag and RT anything I see.

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thank you so much, Jen, and thank you for supporting us by RTing. We appreciate people with warm hearts like yourself.

  7. 5.28.13
    Nichole said:

    Perfect timing! I’m headed to Ventnor/AC this Saturday and will be spending most of my R & R at the beach/boardwalk. I’m staying at a wonderful bed & breakfast in Ventnor called The Carisbrooke Inn (www.carisbrookeinn.com). Since I don’t head home until the 7th, I will definitely head up to AC on the 6th–not that I won’t be up and down the boardwalk the whole time–to see what’s going on.

    • 5.31.13
      Amiyrah said:

      I’ll be down there working on the event, so probably won’t see you. But please do come up and enjoy the new boardwalk!

  8. 5.28.13
    Elizabeth said:

    Another great one

    • 5.31.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thanks Elizabeth 🙂

  9. 5.28.13

    This is so beautifully written. I can’t wait to be there and show Jersey some love!

    • 5.28.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thank you so much Jessica! I can’t wait to meet you.